Rail-joint.



G. & M. L. BApQN, RAIL JOINT .2 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22;, 1910.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

INVENTOR T) Q Q Q n TS W1 TNESSES following to be a full, clear, and exact devented certain new and useful Improvements .and also provide a seat in the face of the 'ing parts throughout the several views, 1

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT- BACON AND MILTON'L. BACON, OF ANTIGO, WISCONSIN.

nAIL-Join'r.

' Application filed March 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GILBERT BACON and Mir-non L. BACON, citizens of the United States, residing at Antigo, in the county of Langlade and ,State of NVisconsin, have in in Rail- Joints and we do hereby declare the scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints and our object is to provide a plate upon which the meeting ends of the rails are'adapted to rest.

A further object is to provide a fish plate along one edge of the plate and arrange the upper edge of the fish plate to receive the tread of the car wheels, and, I

A further object is to provide a removable fish plate for the opposite side of the rails base plate to receive the removable fish plate. Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings which are made a part of this a plication, Figure 1 is a perspective view to the meeting ends of a pair of rails showing our improved device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base plate and the integral fish plate, and, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the rail. showing the attach ment in position thereon.

Referring to the drawings in whichsimilar reference numerals designate correspondand 2 indicate the rails such as are commonly used in constructing railway tracks and 3 indicates a plate which is adapted to pass below the meeting ends of the rails and form a support for the same. The plate 8 extends a distance beyond each edge of the flange 4 of the rail and along one edge of the plate is provided a rib 5 and the same edge is also provided with ribs 6, which extend atright angles to the rib 5 or along the ends of the plate, said ribs 6 forming shoulders against which one edge of the flange 1 rests when placed over the plate. The opposite edge of the plate i) has integrally secured thereto a fish plate 7, said plate having a shoulder '8, which shoulder extends below and engages the under face of the head' of the rail,

ends of the rails 1 and 2 sothat should sai Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 1] 191(3 1910. Serial No. 550,877.

while that portion ofthe fish plate above the shoulder is extended to the upper edge of the rail to provide a. bearing surface 9. ()n

auxiliary fish plate .10, the upper edge of which engages the lower face of the head of the rail, while the lower edge thereof is provided with a lateral extension 11, the free edge of the extension fitting between the ribs 5 and (3 by which means the auxiliary fish plate is securely held against endwise movement independent of the base plate. The free edge of the extension 11 projects a distance beyond tlieedge of the flange 4 of the rail, said extended portion being made thicker than that portion of the extension over the flange so that said thickened portion will rest upon thebase plate 8 and retain the upper face of the extension .iiush with the top of the ribs, while the depending portion will form a shoulder for the edge of the flange.

The fish plates are securely locked in engagement with the rails 1 and 2- by means of bolts 12, which-bolts are extended transversely through openings 13 in the fish plates and the interposed flange of the rail. After the .fish plates and base plate are clamped in-engagenient with the rails, the base'plate is secured to the usual form of ties (not shown) by means of spikes 14 which are entered through slots 15 in the base plate and the lateral extensions of the fish plates, said slots being so arranged as to bring the inner edge oftthe spikes against the edges of the flanges of the rails.

The bearing edge 9 of the fish plate 7 is so positioned with respect to the top of the rails that the wheels in passing over the joint between the ends of the rails will engage said bearing surface which will prevent the usual jarring incident to the wheels passing over the joints, thus providing substantially an endless rail.

Instead of formin the bearing surface 9 0n the integral fish p ate, said fish plate may be constructed similarly to the auxiliary fish plate, while the auxiliary fish plate is placed on the outside of the rail and extended upwardly to form the bearing surface.

As the ends of the rails are sometimes slightly separated by contraction, we have provided openings 16 through the plate 3 at a point immediately below the meetin the opposite side of the rail is positioned an seen that by'forming one of the fish plates integral with the base plate and providing the ribs for holding the other fish plate, as shown, a very solid connection will be formed between the ends of the rails when secured between the fish plates and further that by providing the shouldeiz on the integral plate and extending the end of the opposite plate below the head of the rails, said 'rai'lsw-ill be securely braced to receive the weight of the cars passing thereover. It

7 will likewise be seen that by attaching the fish plates in the manner shown to the base platethat both'of said fish plates will have a ,niovement coincident to the base plate, thus preventing the ,bolts and nuts from becoming loosened by the. trains passing thereover and it will likewise be seen that in view of the simplicity off the device, it can be manufactured at a minimum expense and at the same time remain strong and durable.

What we claim is 1. In a device-of the class described, the combination with a pair of rails, of a base plate below said rails, one edge of said plate having ribs thereon and a fish plate integral with the opposite edge, saidfish plate having a shoulder and a bearing edge extending flush with the tops of saidrails and an auxiliary fish plate having an extension thereon adapted to fitbetween the ribs of the base plate, the upper end of saidauxiliary fish plate engaging the lower face of the heads of the rails and means to secure said fish plates and rails together.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of rails, of a base plate adapted to fit below the meeting ends of said rails and extending beyond 'the flanges of the rails, one edge of said base plate having longitudinally and transversely extending ribs thereon and-a fish plate integral with the opposite edge of the base plate,

said integral fish plate having a shoulder adapted to engage the lower face of the head of the rails and a bearing, surface at its upper edgeiex tending on opposite sides of the oint of the rails and an auxiliary fish plate having an extension thereon adapted to enter between the transversely disposed ribs, the upper end of said auxiliary fish plate ongaging the'lower faces of the heads of the rails on the opposite side from the integral fish plate, means to secure the fish plates to the rails and additional means to secure the base plate and parts carried thereby against. lateral or longitudinal movement.

. 3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of rails, of a base plate below said rails having openings therethrough at a point below the meeting ends of the rails, one edge of said plate having ribs. thereon, a fish plate integral with the opposite edge, an auxiliary fish plate having an extension thereon adapted to fit. between the ribs of the base plate, one of said fish plates having a bearing surface at its u ppcr edge flush with the upper surface of the rails and means to secure the fish plates to the rails.

In testimony whereofwe have signed our names'to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GILBERT BACON.

MILTON L. BACGN.

Witnesses:

Anna HOEFER, W. A. MAERTZ. 

